


Look Past Your Doubt

by vizzie1



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: As of 26.11.16, Canon Compliant, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-27
Updated: 2016-11-27
Packaged: 2018-09-02 12:24:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 796
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8667616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vizzie1/pseuds/vizzie1
Summary: Aaron forgives Robert for kissing Rebecca, but does he still trust him?Chas overhears something that gets her thinking... and acting.Basically, Chas finds a way to share with Aaron all of the soppy things that Robert says about him when he's not around.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I just had this idea stuck in my head and needed to get it out.  
> Obviously, I don't own Emmerdale or anything. This was just for fun.
> 
> This is my first fanfic ever, and it's not beta-d, so all mistakes are mine.  
> Also, let me know if I need to update the tags in any way.  
> Please be kind. Love to y'all <3

Several hours after the whole messy scene with Rebecca, Chas was headed to the back, when she heard Robert and Aaron arguing. She didn’t want to get involved, but her curiosity kept her standing behind the door.

“I want to be able to trust you,” Aaron yelled, voice breaking a little, “but you’ll try anything if you think you can get away with it!”

Chas didn’t have to see the couple to know that Robert would have on that kicked puppy look of his. “No, it’s not like that, Aaron!” he was pleading. “I love you!”

Aaron scoffed, “You say that to me now. Who knows what you say when I’m not around?”

This made Chas automatically recall a few of the things Robert has said about Aaron when he was absent. After spending a few moments lost in thought, she decided to stop eavesdropping and sneak upstairs to check on Liv.

***************************************

A couple of weeks later, Robert was no longer sleeping on the couch, and to most of the village, he and Aaron seemed back to normal. But Chas could still see in her son’s eyes the bit of doubt about Robert’s love for him.

Aaron was already home from the scrapyard, but Robert had a late meeting today. Taking the chance to talk to Aaron alone, Chas made sure someone could cover the bar and nipped to the back. “Aaron, love, come have a chat with me for a minute,” she said as she sat at the kitchen table.

Not able to read her tone, Aaron started worrying his lip as he got up from the couch to join her at the table. “What’s happened?” he asked.

Instead of replying, Chas just set a booklet on the table and slid it in front of Aaron. Inspecting it, Aaron could tell that the booklet was handmade, with illustrations on the cover looking an awful lot like Liv’s handiwork. With a confused furrow in his brow, he looked back up at Chas. “What is this?”

“Consider it an early Christmas present,” Chas sighed. After a pause, she continued, “Don’t get mad, but I heard you and Robert arguing a couple weeks ago, after…ya know.” Aaron looked twitchy, but before he could interrupt, she continued, “And I heard you saying that you couldn’t know what he says behind your back. Well,” she nodded to the booklet, “now you can. We thought you- you and Robert- deserve this.”

“We? You and Liv, you mean?”

“Well, we put it together, but most of the village contributed,” Chas answered gently. “Just…take a look. I’ll make us a cuppa,” she said, knowing Aaron would feel self-conscious if she was just watching him. She got up and started the kettle, hearing the first page turn.

Aaron wasn’t sure what he was looking at. _He’s everything_  was written in big, bold letters, with a much smaller _to Chas_ below it. Flipping to the next page, he sucked in a breath as his eyes scan across _I love him_ followed by _to Paddy_.

Chas watched him discretely as she poured the tea into two mugs. When he turned another page, she saw his eyes fill with tears. She wasn’t sure he could still read what’s on the page, but she already knew what it said: _I can’t see my future without him in it_ … _to Vic_.

Aaron was flipping through the booklet faster now, too fast to be reading everything but just looking at the names at the bottom of each page. It’s overwhelming to see that Robert has openly expressed his love and devotion to him so often and to so many people.

Aaron set the booklet back on the table to wipe at the tears now streaming freely down his cheeks. With a soothing hand on his arm, Chas felt the need to say something, but just when she opened her mouth to speak, they heard the back door opening.

“The old codgers at that meeting couldn’t have been more boring if-“ Robert’s complaint cutting short when he saw Aaron crying. “Aaron, what’s wrong?!”

Already half-way to Robert, Aaron closed the distance and pulled him into a tight hug. While Robert returned the embrace, his surprised and worried expression looked at Chas for an explanation. She smiled warmly at him to let him know that everything was okay and then slipped back to the pub, knowing that this time she definitely did not want to be listening behind the door.

***************************************

A few months later, a similar-looking booklet appeared next to Robert’s keys one morning, with a note: _Consider it an early wedding present - from Chas and Liv._ He started smiling and tearing up before turning a single page. Neither he nor his fiancé made it in to work that day.

**Author's Note:**

> Title is from 'Faith (When I Let You Down)' by Taking Back Sunday
> 
> "Oh, but I'll be right there beside you, when the walls are caving in.  
> Oh, I'm not going anywhere.  
> But, when I let you down, look past your doubt.  
> Just please, please, don't lose your faith in me."


End file.
